Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday ordered the withdrawal of cases of stone-pelting against 4,327 youths.

This follows the recommendation of a high-powered committee headed by Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid which submitted its report to her today, an official spokesman said.

“Today’s decision marks the revival of process of withdrawal of cases started by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti last year immediately after taking over,” he said.

Mufti had initiated a process of review of cases against youths from 2008 to 2014 and in the first instance 104 cases involving 634 youths were withdrawn within two months of her assuming power, the official said.

The process got disrupted due to the continued violence and unrest for later part of the last year, he added.

Mufti ordered the withdrawal of cases of stone-pelting against 4,327 youths in 744 cases, he said.

“With this, the total number of cases withdrawn so far on the directions of the chief minister has gone to 848 and the persons benefiting out of these withdrawals stands at 4,957,” the spokesman said.

The chief minister, it may be recalled, had committed the withdrawal of cases against youths found not involved in heinous crimes.

Mufti had recently directed review of cases from 2015 till date and decision on the same would be taken on the receipt of report by the high-powered committee, the spokesman said.

The withdrawal of cases against these youths was a major demand from various sections of the society in the state.

“The chief minister described today’s decision as a ray of hope for these young boys and their families terming it as an opportunity for them to rebuild their lives,” he said.

She hoped that the decision would help in creating a “positive and conciliatory atmosphere in the state where the youth would be able to build their lives in a more constructive and positive way”.

The photograph got her "noticed" as the "Kashmiri footballer forced to vent her ire by pelting stones". Meetings with J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti followed, who decided to do her bit to promote both Afshan and women's football in J&K.

Afshan is now captain and goalkeeper of the J&K women's football team that is getting exposure at the national level and competing in the Indian Women's League. The 23-year-old also plays for a Mumbai club and has even inspired a Bollywood biopic on her life.

On Tuesday, Afshan along with her 22-member football team, coach Satpal Singh Kala and manager Tsering Angmo called on Union home minister Rajnath Singh. Afshan told TOI that she sought the home minister's intervention to start a Sports Authority of India (SAI) Institute in Kashmir to nourish and train young girls to play football.

"I was impressed by how patiently a Union minister heard the issues raised by us. We sought better sports infrastructure in J&K. The home minister called up J&K CM in front of us and told her to meet us when we get back to Srinagar," Afshan told TOI.

Mehbooba, she said, was already supporting them in a big way and had instructed the sports secretary to take care of the requirements of the women's football team. The state administration has since provided us all our sports equipment, helping us put together a team within this year.

"While I have joined a Mumbai football club to pursue my dream to be a national-level player, it is my honour to also captain the J&K women's football team," said Afshan.

The team amply reflects the regional diversity of J&K. While the manager is a Ladakhi, the coach is a Sikh. The team members too hail from all three regions of the state.

Asked if she regretted the stone-pelting incident+, Afshan said it was a one-off reaction triggered by her "anger" at the abusive language used by a J&K cop as well as the alleged "slapping" of a team member she was escorting to the football ground at the time. "I don't regret anything. I would not have picked up a stone had it not been for the misbehaviour of the police," she insisted.

"But now I have a reputation and image to maintain. I want to focus on football and make my state and nation proud," she added.

Ministry of Home Affairs
29-May, 2018 19:25 IST
Shri Rajnath Singh said we completed the onerous task of deliberations on all the 273 recommendations of the Punchhi Commission report. The long pending amendment to the Enemy Properties Act was also carried out, which enabled the Government gain control over properties worth more than 1,00,000 crore.